canadian

Dear Inner Circle Member,

Canadian National Railway’s $33.6 billion U.S. takeover attempt for rival Kansas City Southern failed after regulators blocked a key condition of the deal. As a result, KCS has now agreed to merge with Canadian Pacific Railway—CN’s main competitor.

Investors tend to dislike the risk that comes with big acquisitions, and CN stock rallied on the news....
Buying the best Canadian bank dividend stocks can be a profitable endeavour—if you make your selections wisely. Learn more in this article now.
LOBLAW COMPANIES, $93.97, is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 335.6 million; Market cap: $31.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.6%; www.loblaw.ca) operates 1,096 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills.


In March 2014, it purchased the Shoppers Drug Mart chain for $12.3 billion in cash and shares....
The market plunge at the start of the COVID-19 crisis lowered prices for most REITs. That’s because the pandemic forced many businesses to temporarily close. However, vaccines should see the economy increasingly normalize in the next several months. That will let these two REITs maintain their current distributions, or even raise them.


CHOICE PROPERTIES REIT, $15.18, is a buy. Canada’s biggest REIT (Toronto symbol CHP.UN; Units outstanding: 722.7 million; Market cap: $10.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 4.9%; www.choicereit.ca) creates value for investors through its 730 properties, with a total of 66.2 million square feet of retail, industrial and office space....
Business—both in Canada and internationally—remains strong for our two top Canadian insurance recommendations. These two stocks have recovered all of the ground they lost in March 2020 with onset of the pandemic, and we think they are now poised to move even higher....

Oil prices have more than doubled over the last year to today’s price of roughly $83 U.S. a barrel. Natural gas prices are also up. Increased industrial activity is driving those gains as the world recovers from the pandemic. Still, energy prices will likely remain subject to wide and unpredictable swings—spurred by continually changing supply and demand, environmental pressures, and the shift to electric vehicles....
Calian and Russel haven’t raised their dividends for several years. That’s mainly because they operate in cyclical businesses with unpredictable revenue streams. However, as leaders in their niche industries, those current payments still look secure for income investors.


CALIAN GROUP LTD....
These two retailers benefitted during the pandemic as consumers shifted to their online storefronts. New investments in exclusive products and loyalty plans should continue to attract customer, and let them keep raising your dividends.


LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD....
A: Clairvest Group, $57.60, symbol CVG on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 15.1 million; Market cap: $885.0 million; www.clairvest.com), is a Toronto-based merchant bank that invests in both public and private corporations....
Long-time readers know that we keep you informed of important news about the stocks we cover. That means highlighting developments or strategies that promise to brighten your prospects. Here are two buys that stand out this month:


MAJOR DRILLING, $9.40, is a buy. This large contract driller (Toronto symbol MDI; TSINetwork: Speculative) (majordrilling.com; Shares o/s: 82.3 million; Mkt....